Its one of the most serious ecological disasters in Israel’s history-Official

The IMO-administered Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) is assisting the competent authorities of Israel with technical expertise regarding the beaching of a large quantities of tar balls on the Israeli shoreline.

The cause of the pollution is yet to be identified. As of 23 February 2021, 1,000m3 of tar balls have already been collected.

REMPEC is supporting the identification of the source of the pollution by obtaining information from satellite images from Maritime Support Service (EMSA). So far, 10 vessels have been found to have been in the vicinity of the possible original position of the spill and the investigation continues.

The Centre has also invited neighbouring countries to report any pollution in the last three weeks. No pollution has been reported by countries who responded.

The REMPEC Mediterranean Assistance Unit (MAU) is working to assess the potential impact to neighbouring countries. This will be done using the results of forecasting model from the Mediterranean Operational Network for the Global Ocean Observing System (MONGOOS), a Member of the MAU.

Recall that Large globs of tar have washed up on much of Israel’s Mediterranean coastline in what officials are calling one of the worst environmental disasters to hit the country.

Thousands of volunteers and soldiers are helping to clear the pollutant which is damaging wildlife as they try to track the source of the pollution, which is thought to have come from a ship spilling oil even as the general population has been told to avoid the beaches.

Dozens of tonnes of tar have been found on many stretches of Israel’s 190km (120 miles) Mediterranean coastline and there are fears it will take months, or even years to clean up.

NGOs have reported turtles and birds covered in oil.